Lionel Messi moved alone atop the men’s World Cup scoring list Monday, striking twice in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria on a day that also brought two-goal performances from Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland.
The run of goals by three of the sport’s most recognizable forwards sharpened the early shape of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Argentina, the defending champion, advanced to the knockout stage, while France and Norway kept pressure on each other in Group I as the group stage moves toward its final matches.
Messi moves past Klose
Messi entered Argentina’s match in Arlington, Texas, level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose at 16 career World Cup goals. He missed a ninth-minute penalty, then broke the record later in the first half when he finished with his left foot after a pass from Facundo Medina reached him in the area. In second-half stoppage time, Messi added another after his first attempt was stopped, pushing the mark to 18.
“There were moments when I was really angry about missing the penalty, but I was able to make up for it,” Messi said after the match, according to CBC.
The goals continued a striking start to the tournament for Messi, who also scored a hat trick in Argentina’s opening 3-0 win over Algeria in Kansas City. He has accounted for all five of Argentina’s goals through two matches, and the win over Austria extended Argentina’s World Cup winning streak to eight matches since its loss to Saudi Arabia in the 2022 opener.
Messi’s record night came two days before his 39th birthday and 40 years to the day after Diego Maradona’s “goal of the century” against England at the 1986 World Cup. Earlier in the tournament, Messi also became the first male footballer to appear in six World Cups.
France and Norway answer in Group I
Mbappé added his own brace in Philadelphia as France beat Iraq. He opened the scoring with a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty area, then scored again after a weather delay when Ousmane Dembélé set him up following an Iraq mistake on a goal kick.
Haaland delivered for Norway in East Rutherford, New Jersey, scoring in the 48th and 58th minutes of a 3-2 win over Senegal. The result pulled Norway level with France at the top of Group I, according to Fox News, setting up a high-pressure finish to the group.
Haaland’s two goals also came after a missed first-half chance, when Senegal’s goalkeeper lost control of the ball and Haaland hit the right post with an open net in front of him. He recovered quickly after halftime, turning the match back toward Norway.
Argentina returns to AT&T Stadium to face Jordan in its group finale Saturday night. Austria, which opened the tournament with a 3-1 win over Jordan before losing to Argentina, can still advance with a victory over Algeria in Kansas City.
The knockout rounds begin next week, when the margin for error narrows. Monday’s matches showed that, for now, the tournament’s biggest names are not merely part of the spectacle — they are still deciding games.
Comments (0)